February 2024 Reading Wrap up

 Hello everyone & Happy Thursday!!

Today is the last day of February and I want to share with you the books that I read this month. 

In total I read 5 books & 1 magazine and among them there is one 5 Star read.

This year I want to read as many as possible from the Little Black Classics & Modern Classics Collections from Penguin. 

This month I read 3 of them:

- A Hippo Banquet by Mary Kingsley (LBC 32) - 1 Star
- The nightingales are drunk by Hafez (LBC 37) - 2 Stars
- I Have More Souls Than One by Fernando Pessoa (MC 19) - 3 Stars

 

I finished two books:

The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang 

I just adored this book and of course I gave it 5 Stars.

Check out my full review here

 Gogmagog: The First Chronicle of Ludwich by Jeff Noon & Steve Beard 

 I really liked it and I found it interesting & weird at the same time.

I gave it 4 Stars and I will post my full review really soon.

Lastly I read a Greek magazine about geography which is called Geography is really Cool. 

See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!

Athina

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January 2024 Reading Wrap up

 Hello everyone & Happy Wednesday!!

I cannot believe that we are already at the end of January. This month felt like it flew by. 
Anyway, as it is the last day of the month , it is only appropriate to share my monthly reading wrap up.

January was a really good reading month as I managed to read 7 books  (2 ebooks & 5 physical books) and among then was my first 5 star read of the year.

In more detail, I read:

 The Darkness Before Them by Matthew Ward

The Darkness Before Them by Matthew Ward is the first book in The Soulfire Saga and it is an epic fantasy book and the beginning if a new series by the author.

Rating: 3 Stars

Read my full review here

 The Old Man of the Moon by Shen Fu (Penguin LBC #60) 

This is a very interesting story of a man who loved his wife very very much.

It is a true portrayal of enduring love and the challenges of marriage in 18th-century China It focuses on the couple's emotional journey and the power of their relationship.

Rating: 3 Stars

 Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs 

Ink Blood Sister Scribe follows a family tasked with guarding a trove of magical but deadly books, and the shadowy organization that will do anything to get them back...even murder.

Rating: 5 Stars

Read my full review here

Trimalchio's Feast by Petronius (Penguin LBC #21) 

This book contains a selection of The Satyricon by Petronius.

I do not know if it is the translation or the book itself but this one was not for me.

Rating: 1 Star

The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon 

The Night Empire will rule all. Nothing can stand in the way of its might and power.  Little by little, year by year, the Hurricane Wars take more and more from those who resists the empire’s supremacy.  And yet, there is hope in the darkness.  One lone light stands against the empire.

Rating: 4 Stars

Review to come soon

Come Close by Sappho (Penguin LBC #74) 

I enjoyed reading this collection

Rating: 3 Stars

 The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip

A classic tale of an iron-willed young sorceress and her captivating menagerie.

I really liked reading this classic fantasy book and now I am intrigued to read more of the author's work.

Rating: 4 Stars

Review to come soon

How many books did you read in January?

See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!

Athina

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October 2022 Reading Wrap Up

 Hello everyone!!

It has been awhile since I last did a monthly reading wrap up. The previous months were really busy for me and I didn't have the appropriate time to write a wrap up. 

To be honest I haven't read that much in the previous months but that will change , I promise. In October I read three books , one audiobook and two ebooks.

Let's see them together...

The Raven and The Dove by Kaitlyn Davis

This is the first book in the series and it was on my tbr from its publication date. I finally read it and I really liked it. Now I cannot wait to continue with the series. 

It is an epic fantasy retelling of Tristan and Isolde and it has everything. Betrayals, star-crossed lovers, fierce heroines, brooding heroes and forbidden romances.  It is action packed and has many plot twists. I also really liked the world building.

Rating: 4 Stars

Demon in the Wood by Leigh Bardugo

I listened to the audiobook and just loved it. The cast was amazing just as the story was also great. 

It is a prequel to the main Shadow and Bone trilogy and tells us a story from Darkling's childhood. 

Rating: 5 Stars

The Desert Threat : An Assassin's Creed Novel by Yan Leisheng

In general I really like the Assassin's Creed novels but this one was not one of my favourites.

It takes place in Ancient Mongolia in 16th century CE and our main hero Shao Jun is the main focus of the story. The book is action packed but as with the previous one of this series I am really confused by the names and their roles. It is full of political intrigue and it is well written, which I really enjoyed.

Rating: 3 Stars

These were all the books that I read in October.

Have you read any of them? What did you think?

See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!

Athina

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July 2022 Reading Wrap Up

 Hello everyone!!

Well, July is over so what better thing to do than a reading wrap up. In this month I read 9 books, of which 4 were physical books, 2 audiobooks and the rest were ebooks. 

I also had two 5-Star reads and many 4-Star ones.

Let's start...

A Song Among the Silence (The Rythmist Cycle #1) by Julie Janis

I really enjoyed reading this book. I liked the world - building and I found the magic system very interesting and unique. I really liked the story and I loved the plot twists and tensions.

I liked our main characters, Kota and Derrick and their character development and relationship dynamics. I am also curious to see what will happen to the "villain" of our story Killian. Alfi of course was my favourite of all.

Rating: 4 Stars

Check out my review here

I received an ebook by the author

Η Θαυμαστή Ιστορία του Ανθρώπου από την Αρχή by Gianni Rodari (Original title: La storia degli uomini / The Magnificent history of the man from the beginning)

In this book Gianni Rodari tells the story of humanity from the beginning until around the middle of the 20th century. It reads like a fairytale  and it's written in a way everyone can read it despite their level of knowledge. 

I really enjoyed reading it and I believe that it will be great for middle grade children

Rating: 4 Stars

I read the Greek translation but I don't know if there is a translation in English. I couldn't find one.

Book Of Night (Book of Night #1) by Holly Black

This is Holly Black's adult debut and it is a modern dark fantasy of shadowy thieves and secret societies. 

My feelings are mixed for this book. I liked the writing style and I found the magic system interesting but a little complicated. I also really liked the plot twists towards the end. 

However, I didn't like the pacing of the book and I couldn't connect with the characters.

Rating: 3 Stars

Assassin's Creed: The Magus Conspiracy by Kate Heartfield

The war between Assassins and Templars wreaks havoc in the Victorian era, in this breakneck thriller which opens up a whole new chapter of the Assassin’s Creed universe and of course I really enjoyed reading it as it's full of the rivalries between Assassin's and Templars.

I liked the storyline and the writing but I would prefer it to be more action packed. It seems that all the action happened towards the end. However I really liked how we got to the ending and the plot twists.

Rating: 4 Stars

Check out my review here

Expected Publication: August 2nd

I received an eARC from Netgalley & the publisher

The River of Silver : Tales from the Daevabad Trilogy by S. A. Chakraborty

I loved this collection of stories and deleted scenes from the Daevabad trilogy. It was everything that I wanted from my favourite characters. It was really good to be back in this magical world. It is a beautiful collection and it perfectly compliments the main trilogy.

Rating: 5 Stars

This Vicious Grace (The Last Finestra #1) by Emily Thiede

I wasn't expecting to like this one but I loved it. Thanks to the #btww girls that picked this book for our monthly read I found a new favourite book. 

This book has strong main characters, slow-burn romance and an interesting magic system.

Rating: 5 Stars

The Valkyrie's Daughter ( The Helheim Prophecy #1) by Tiana Warner

It is a thrilling, intricate, and romantic #OwnVoices LGBTQ fantasy that builds on Norse mythology into a beautiful story all its own.

Lately I really enjoy reading Viking / Norse mythology inspired books and this one was no exception.

I liked the writing style and I loved the story. There is an LGBTQ+ slow burn romance in the book that was perfectly done. I also really liked how the relationship between Sigrid and Mariam evolved as well as the friendship dynamics between Sigrid, Mariam and Fisk.

Rating: 4 Stars

Check out my review here

I received an eARC from Netgalley & the publisher

The Girl in the Tower (The Winternight Trilogy #2) by Katherine Arden

I really liked this book, it is magical and dark at the same time. It's beautifully written and a great sequel to The Bear and the Nightingale. 

Vasya has grown up as a character and I really liked how the author blended history with fantasy.

Rating: 4 Stars

Equal Rites (Discworld #3) by Terry Pratchett

I wanted to read a Terry Pratchett book for awhile and when I saw these new audiobooks I couldn't resist. 

I really enjoyed this book. It is funny but also tackles some more serious issues. 

Rating: 4 Stars

That's it for my July wrap up.

Have you read any of them? What did you think?

See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!

Athina

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June 2022 Reading Wrap up

 Hello everyone!!

Today is the last day of June and I believe that it is appropriate to talk about the books that I read in this month. I managed to read five books, of which two of them were ebooks and the other three physical copies.

Let's start...

Assassin's Creed  Valhalla - Geirmund's Saga by Matthew J. Kirby

The book is set in the world of Assassin's Creed Valhalla and we follow the story of Geirmund Hel-Hide, who is a legendary Viking. I enjoyed reading this book. Books set in the Assassin's Creed universe are my favourites since they are always action-packed and sometimes they feel like reading a historical fiction book instead of a game novelization. 

Rating: 3 Stars

Check out my full review here

The Final Strife (The Final Strife Trilogy #1) by Saara El- Arifi

This is a beautiful book with a beautiful story and a very interesting world building and magic system. I really like that this debut novel is inspired by Ghanaian folklore and Arabian myths. It is unusual to see in books.

We follow the stories of Sylah, Anoor and Hassa and the connections between them. The book has the friends to lovers trope (F/F) and also the chosen one trope but a little bit different than usual. 

Rating: 4 Stars

Check out my full review here

Disclaimer: I was lucky enough to receive an eARC of this book by Netgalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Assassin's Creed Fate of the Gods (Last Descendants #3) by Matthew J. Kirby

This is the conclusion to the Last Descendants trilogy and I really enjoyed it. We got to see what happened to our heroes and how their actions (and their ancestors) affected the world. This last book was my favourite in the trilogy. 

Rating: 4 Stars

Then Came the Thunder (Three Willows #1) by Rachel Huszar

I didn't know what to expect from it but it sounded interesting and I enjoyed reading it. It is a historical fiction but the author blends a  little fantasy element in it. We have a strong female protagonist and the story has mystery, drama and some action.

Rating: 3 Stars

Come back on July 2nd for my full review.

Thanks to the author for the gifted ebook.

Does My Goldfish Know Who I Am?: and hundreds more Big Questions from Little People answered by experts (Big Questions from Little People #2 or 3) by Gemma Elwin Harris

It is a book with answers to a great variety of questions that the children (aged 12 and under) have asked. Experts give short and comprehensive answers to all of these questions. 

I found it really interesting , entertaining and very informative. 

I highly recommend it to children and adults alike.

Rating: 4 Stars

I will probably finish another book by the end of the day but we will talk about it in the next month's wrap up.

Have you read any of these?

What did you think?

See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!

Athina

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May 2022 Reading Wrap up

 Hello everyone!!

I know that it sounds cliché but another month has gone by very quickly and it is time again for my reading wrap up. In May I read 5 books. One of them was a physical copy and the rest were ebooks. Three of them were also ARCs that released in May. 

I had one 5 star read and the rest of them were 4 star reads.

Let's see them together... 

The Thief (The Queen's Thief #1) by Megan Whalen Turner

I have heard many good things about the book and I couldn't pass reading it when I had the opportunity.

I really liked it. It is a more traditional fantasy and I really liked the author's writing and the storyline. It also had a really good plot twist. I found the main character really interesting and I enjoyed reading his story. I loved the world and I am eager to learn more about it in the next book.

Rating: 4 Stars

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley

Read my full review here

The Sylvan and the Sand (The Book of All Things #2) by Sarah M. Cradit

This is the second book that I read from Sarah M. Cradit and I really liked it. It has my favourite enemies to lovers trope and I really love the characters and the storyline. I really like Sarah's writing style and the world building is really good.

Yesenia is a great female character. She is fierce and smart and always speaks her mind despite the consequences. Corin is a cinnamon roll but he is also determined to help others and his character complements Yesenia's. I loved the slow burned romance between them. How they became close to each other and embraced their feelings.

Rating: 4 Stars

I received an ARC of this book from the author

Read my full review here

The Rightful Bearer ( The Maiden Ship #3) by Micheline Ryckman

This is the finale to The Maiden Ship trilogy and it was very satisfying to read. 

I really liked the whole storyline and I loved the author's writing style. I liked the world-building which is unique and I loved the magic system. 

The story wraps up beautifully and any questions you might had are answered. The character development is excellent and I cannot pick a favourite character as I loved them all. 

Rating: 4 Stars

I received an ARC of this book from the author

Read my full review here

Capturing the Devil (SJTR #4) by Keri Maniscalco

This is the finale to the Stalking Jack the Ripper series and I loved how Kerri Maniscalco concluded her story. I really like Kerri's writing and I really enjoyed how she told this story and how she implemented all the twists and turns in the plot.

Rating: 5 Stars

Becoming the Dark Prince (SJTR #3.5) by Kerri Maniscalco

This is a novella and its events take place during the events of Escaping from Houdini and before Capturing the devil and it was lovely to read it. 

We got to see the struggles and triumphs of Thomas Cresswell and it was really good to see some events from his POV. We learn more about his character, his fears and secrets.

Rating: 4 Stars

These were all the books that I read in May. 

Currently I am in the middle of two that I really enjoy and hope to finish soon.

See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!

Athina

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April 2022 Reading Wrap up

 Hello everyone!!

As you already have guessed from the title, it is time again for my monthly reading wrap up. In April I read 8 books, of which 2 were ebooks and the rest were physical books. The two ebooks were also eARCS. 

It was a really good reading month since I had three 5 - Star reads and discovered a new favourite author.

But don't waste any more time. Let's see what I read in April.

The Shadow of the Gods (Bloodsworn Saga #1) by John Gwynne

This is the first book of John Gwynne that I read and I loved it.

It is set in a Norse inspired world and it is full of magic, adventures and vengeance. I loved the world building and I cannot wait to explore more of it. I also really liked the writing style and the way John Gwynne wrote his characters.

I am really excited to learn more about the world, the Gods and the magic in the sequel The Hunger of the Gods.

Rating: 5 Stars

Check out my review here

ExtraOrdinary (Villains #1.5) by V. E. Schwab

This graphic novel is set in the Villains universe and it takes place between the events of Vicious and Vengeful. In this one we have three new EOs and we also meet our main characters from the books.

I really liked the story and the writing and I found the illustrations very fitting to the story. However, I believe that it was a little bit short and I hope that they are more installments in the future

Rating: 4 Stars

Check my review here

The Enigmas of History: Myths, Mysteries Madness from Around the World by Alan Baker

This book was okay . I didn't like it but I didn't hate it either.

It has some really good chapters but the majority was not so good in my opinion. There was no problem with the writing but with the selection of the topics for each chapter.

Rating: 2 Stars

The Hunger of the Gods (Bloodsworn Saga #2) by John Gwynne

Well, I have found a new favourite author and I am really happy about it. Now I want to read all of John Gwynne's books. 

I loved this book too.  We now follow more POVs and the story continues from where we left it in book 1 and now the storylines of our main characters are interconnected. 

The ending was really intense and I need book 3 asap.

Rating: 5 Stars

Review to come pretty soon

Rebel Girls Mean Business : 25 Tales of Entrepreneurs and Investors by Rebel Girls

I really enjoyed reading this installment of Rebel Girls. I liked the selection of female entrepreneurs and investors that it included. Every story was really inspiring.

Also the illustrations in these books are always really beautiful.

Rating: 4 Stars

Aphorisms on Love and Hate by Friedrich Nietzche

This little book contains a selection of Nietzsche's aphorisms and it examines the pleasures of revenge, the falsity of pity and the incompatibility of marriage with the philosophical life. 

I liked reading this little collection It was easy to read and some of the ideas mentioned are still valid. 

However, through this collection we can see how sexist Nitzsche was.

Rating: 3 Stars

Gallant by V. E. Schwab

The latest book of my favourite author is a standalone fantasy book that I loved. I really loved the story and the atmosphere that was created through the setting. I loved Olivia and Gallant.

Rating: 5 Stars

Review to come pretty soon.

The Atlas Six (The Atlas #1) by Olivie Blake

This book was really hyped and I was confused while reading it. I couldn't decide if I liked it or not. By the end of it though I was sure that I liked it. 

If you like dark academia and fantasy books with a school setting you will definitely enjoy this too.

Rating: 4 Stars

Review to come pretty soon.

That was my reading wrap up for April.

Have you read any of these books? What did you think?

See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!

Athina

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March 2022 Reading Wrap up

 Hello everyone!!

Today is the last day of March and I think that it is appropriate to talk about the books I read in the month. In March I read six books of which four were physical books and two were ebooks. There were two 5-Star reads among them that I am really happy about.

Let's see them together...

Only A Monster (Monsters #1) by Vanessa Len

To be honest with you, I wasn't expecting much from this book but I ended up really liking it. It has some classic YA tropes and a really exciting and engaging storyline. 

I will definitely read the sequel when it comes out.

Rating: 4 Stars

Television was a baby crawling towards that death chamber by Allen Ginsberg

Profane and prophetic verses about sex, death, revolution and America by the great icon of Beat poetry.

It belongs to the Penguin Modern Classics Collection (Nr.2) and I read it as part of my challenge.

Rating: 2 Stars

Age Of Ash (Kithamar #1) by Daniel Abraham

I enjoyed reading Age of Ash but I didn't love it as much as I wanted. I loved the writing style and the setting which felt real. I want to learn more about the world and the magic system which I believe will happen in the next books.

Rating: 3 Stars

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley

The Empire of Gold (The Daevabad Trilogy #3) by S. A. Chakraborty

All I can say is that I loved The Empire of Gold as I did the previous two books in the trilogy. 

The whole trilogy was excellent. It had complex politics, great character development and wonderful world-building. I am sad that it is over.

Rating: 5 Stars

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

It is a contemporary fantasy where we follow Nora while she explores The Midnight Library and what her life could have been if she had made a different choice. 

I loved it. It was beautifully written and it made you think about your own choices.

Rating: 5 Stars

Rebel Girls Climate Warriors -  25 Tales of Women who Protect the Earth by Rebel Girls

This book tells the stories of women, who with their ingenuity and commitment tried and try to protect the earth. 

I liked the selection of the women since I got to learn about women and their work that I had never heard off.

As always with these books the illustrations were perfect.

I highly recommend it for everyone!!

Rating: 4 Stars

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley

These were all the books that I read in March. 

Have you read any of them? What did you think about it?

See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!

Athina

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